DHAKA – Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today cautioned people including party candidates against possible election boycott by the opposition in the middle of voting as part of a trick and advised them to stay in centers until the polls end.

“I want to caution all that the BNP-Jamaat has a character of saying in the middle (of the elections) that we are boycotting the elections,” she said.

She added: “In this case I will ask our candidates and candidates of other parties to continue polls until its completion”.

Sheikh Hasina’s comments came after she visited wounded party leader of Dinajpur Dr Mahbubur Rahman at Dhaka Combined Military Hospital (CMH) this morning as he was admitted to the facility with critical injuries caused by BNP-Jamaat attacks.

“I would like to tell all not to believe if the BNP says in the middle of the polls that we withdraw ourselves from the election (race) and we will not participate in it . . . this is their another game,” Sheikh Hasina said.

The AL president asked the party representatives and agents to stay in every polling centre until announcement of the results.

“I would like to tell all, ranging from candidates to agents, who are participating in the elections of our party and alliance to stay till the last moment of the polls and return home with the results with the signature of the returning officers and presiding officers,” she said.

The premier expressed her firm optimism that the tomorrow’s elections will be held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. “It’s our expectation that the polls will be held in a free, fair and peaceful manner,” she said.

“If we could hold the elections peacefully, I can assure that local and foreign investments will increase further and the country’s economy will be strengthened,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina also expressed her firm belief that Bangladesh will be more developed and prosperous and emerge as ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu. “So, we want the polls to be held in peacefully in a free, fair and neutral manner,” she said.

“My word is that if the people cast votes for us, we will stay in power, otherwise not. I’m leaving it completely to the people,” she added.

The prime minister blasted the BNP-Jamaat for killing over six Awami League leaders and workers and injuring more than 450 party men.

She said the BNP-Jamaat is carrying out clandestine attacks on the AL leaders and workers across the country ahead of the polls. “They’re making complaints against us across the world on the one hand, and on the other, they are launching attacks on our leaders and workers,” she said.

Asking the party leaders and workers to have patience, Sheikh Hasina said: “The BNP-Jamaat killed so many party men of ours though we are in power. Everybody of our party will have to keep patience. Because we know that the people will cast votes for us,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that the people of the country expect a free, fair and impartial election tomorrow. “So, all will have to give attention so that none can make the elections questionable in anyway and the AL and Mohajote candidates, leaders and workers will have to keep patience in this regard,” she said.

Replying to a question about BNP’s allegations regarding level-playing field in the polls, the premier said their level-playing field means that they (BNP) will have to be made winners.

“The BNP’s level playing field means creating such a situation that they are made victorious … then a level-playing field will be created. They have no thinking about winning in the polls through competition,” she said.

The AL chief said the BNP has created their own problems by giving nominations to 4/5 candidates in a single seat. “They did nomination trade and called auction for candidates, saying that those will be able to pay highest amount of money will become candidates,” she said.

The premier said many strong and old candidates who have good reputation in the area could not get party nominations from BNP. “As a result, they got aggrieved and they are being engaged in internal clash,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said those who got nominations cannot go to their constituencies due to the opposition of the deprived. “They are engaged in clash and they are setting fire to their own offices and then putting blame on our party,” she said.

Mentioning that “udor pindi budhor ghare chapano” (shifting one’s responsibility to another) is an old habit of BNP, the premier said they are continuing to muddle the water. “They didn’t fall in the problem, had they not committed nomination trade,” she remarked.

The AL president put emphasis on continuity of democracy for further development of the country. “We’ve established democracy in the country by doing massive struggles,” she said. Sheikh Hasina highlighted Bangladesh’s stunning socioeconomic development over the last 10 years and said the common and rural people are getting benefits of the uplift.

“The country will be more developed and prosperous if the pace of the uplift is maintained,” she said.

Describing the brutal attack on Dinajpur AL leader Dr Mahbubur Rahman as very regretful, the premier said his two fingers were chopped and he was hit on the head. “By the grace of Allah, he is recovering as he is receiving better treatment at the CMH,” she said.

The AL president, in this connection, questioned what the offence of the doctor was. “The brutal attack was made on him when he was returning home after completing work … it’s a heinous work,” she said.

Urging the BNP-Jamaat to stop such a clandestine attack, the prime minister asked the law enforcement agencies to track down the culprits involved in the attack and make arrangements for their appropriate punishment.

Earlier, the prime minister visited Dr Mahbubur at the CMH and enquired about his physical condition from the on-duty doctors.

Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman and PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan were present on the occasion.